Young Blake’s Record

Sun (Auckland), Volume III, Issue 880, 25 January 1930, Page 12

Young Blake’s Record

TROTTER PREFERRED EPSOM

Retired From Race Track

AUCKLAND lovers of a good, square trotter will regret that the last lias been seen of Young Blake on the racetrack, although they will always retain feelings of admiration for the sterling performances put up by the Southerner in the last starts of a brilliant career.

Young Blake has proved himseif a wonderful trotter, and when the history of New Zealand’s best squaregaiters comes to be written, he will be accorded a high place. Foaled in 1919, the Southern champion is not by any means an old horse, as trotters go, but his sporting owners, Messrs. M. O’Brian and G. J. Barton. have decided to retire the trotter on his laurels, and allow him to spend the rest of his days in comfort and ease. During the two and a-half seasons Young Blake has raced in the joint ownership, he collected in prize money for them approximately £ 3,500. with which fine total the owners are now well satisfied. The trotter, who is by Wildwood Junior, from Daphne Dillon, was foaled in 1919, being bred by Mr. W. R. Anderson, but before he reached racing ago was purchased by Messrs. Young and Blake, hence his name, Y oung Blake. As a three-year-old the trotter quickly showed ability, and was a gooa winner for his owners until 1927. when he was purchased by Messrs. G Brian and Barton. Young Blake, during lus career on the turf, won 15 races, and 10 times paid a second dividend, while on a similar number of occasions he secured third prize. His total earnings as a trotter reached the high mark of £6,000. Three-Year-Old Record It was in 192 3, under the supervision of N. L. Price that Y oung Blake made his first appearance under silk when he missed a berth at New Brighton in the Trial Handicap. The Wildwood Junior gelding, however, soon made amends, and at the Forbury Park summer carnival he won the Vauxhall Handicap on the opening day. This proved a good preliminary for his Trotting Stakes engagement on the second day*. N. Price duly landed the coveted square-gaiters’ classic. At his next outing, New Zealand metropolitan autumn fixture, the youngster completed the “hat trick” by winning the Harvest Handicap of 13 furlongs in 3.52 4-5 from a fourminute peg. In his next essay Young Blake finished second to St. Anthony at New Brighton, registering 3.35 4-5 for 12 furlongs. The fine form of the Wildwood Junior gelding as a three-year-old was

a 4.40 peg. and later winning another event over a mile and five lurlonsi This was his last_ success for RlddjT as before the 19i17-:’S season dawned Young Klake was acquired bv Messrs O'Brien and Barton, and went into W J. Tomkinson's stable. New Ownership His first rally under the new was a solid one. but. after a stcrlir?

set-to on the Addington course, he was just topped off by that good trotter Trampfast. After winning at the Metropolitan Cup carnival in November, Young Blake visited Auckland and annexed the Association Handicap at Epsom. Returning to Alexandra Park in February, he captured another stake, recording 4.31 off a 4.33 mark. That year the Wildwood Junior gelding was 10 times in a place out of about twice that number of starts, and his cheque reached £1,600 for the season. The period 1928-29 saw Young Blak* again in great form, and ho seldom failed to gain a situation. Epsom, hia happy hunting ground, saw W. J. Tomkinson’s speedy square-gaiter col-* lecting good, money, to the delight of his large army of followers. Ho won at the Auckland summer fixture from a 4.30 mark, and when he returned in June was on 4.29£, and again home he came. At the same function the trotter tackled the pacers in the Mark Memorial Handicap, off 4.29, and ho received the third allotment, Cardinal Logan and Kohara heading him off. That year his owners received £1.125 as a result of the trotter’s efforts. Preference for Auckland When the present season opened, Young Blake was given another chance to prove his ability among the pacers, but although placed on 4.30 in the August Handicap at the Addington. National Carnival, he failed to gain a situation. lie was next stepped out at the New Zealand Cup fixture, in the Dominion Trot, an event won by his stable-mate. Western Voyage. Young Blake was on a 4.28& mark on this occasion, and the second day, off the same handicap, he was again unplaced. W. J. Tomkinson decided to give the Wildwood Junior gelding another chance on his favourite track Alexandra Park —and lie came North for the Rowe Cup, in which he won handicapped on 4.29. Although not equal to the task, the Southerner finished close up third to Raima and Rose Bingen. The second day, from the same mark, he defeated Rose Bingen, who had been severely penalised 24 yards for her second to RaimE. in the Rowe Cup. On the final day Young Blake was placed on 4.27 in the big trot, with Rose Bingen on 4.32. the pair meeting on the same terms as on the opening day. Prior to the race Mr. G. J. Barton offered the trotter for sale, and was prepared to accept £ 100. He remarked to “Abaydos” that lie felt confident the trotter would win again, but while his judgment proved correct there was no buyer for the gelding. Brilliant Finale In what has eventually proved to be his last appearance under silk, Young Blake set the hall-mark on a great career by securing a head victory over Rose Bingen after a stirring finish. He was driven in this event by Morry Holmes, who handled him excellently. This performance of Young Blake wss a fitting termination to a fine recordTo a certain extent the Southern square-gaiter was fortunate in generally receiving liberal treatment in. handicaps at Auckland meetings, and. whenever he got the benefit of the doubt from the adjuster, showed his appreciation by capturing the stake. All the same, he was a wonderful trotter, and his fine record of successes will long be remembered by followers of the popular pastime. There is no doubt Young Blake would even yet win races, but as a reward for excellent services, his owners have decided to let him spend the rest of his days quietly.

borne out early the following season, when at Addington in August lie won the two-mile Stewards’ Handicap, registering a shade better than 4.45. The next day he tramped 4.42 4-5 to take second prize to Lee Norris, and three months later he endeavoured to win the big Dominion Trot at Addington, but although he recorded 4.41 2-5, third was his portion, the successful candidate being Native King. A run of outs followed, and then Young Blake would up the season with two seconds at Christchurch to Theseus and Merry Bingen respectively. Peter Riddle Takes Charge The 1924-25 season was his lean period, and in five starts he was not in the money at any time. But when the next season opened at Addington, Young Blake was soon at his old game of saluting the judge, and he won a good two-mile trot in convincing style.

Young Blake then joined Peter Riddle’s team, and the following week made his initial appearance in Auckland. Handicapped on 4.22, he struck a snag in Waikaha (4.43), who won at the Fleet meeting, while Wimmera King (4.44), kept the Southerner from paying a second dividend. The trotter failed to strike his best form for some time, but at the Otahuhu summer meeting he went a fine race for Riddle, and just failed to give Ngatira 36 yards start. The commencement of the 1926-27 session saw Young Blake \n goor form, and he won the 13furlong Midwinter Handicap in approved style. This he followed up by annexing a two-mile heat at the Cup fixture, registering 4.36 1-5 from